


Frosted over

by vanjie_love



Series: Autumn Leaves [6]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race (US) RPF
Genre: F/F, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27134342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanjie_love/pseuds/vanjie_love
Summary: “Ness, I’m going to go call Nina and check on the kids.”Vanessa nods and says she will come with. Brooke excuses them and heads to the hallway.“Nessa, I want to go home.” Brooke says softly.“Brookie, I know you uncomfortable, but you can’t let them get to you.”“They don’t want me here Ness,” Brooke’s voice was small and there was sadness in her eyes, “they don’t want either of us here.”
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Series: Autumn Leaves [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942153
Comments: 7
Kudos: 22





	Frosted over

**Author's Note:**

> This one is kinda tough. It deals with homophobia in the workplace and can be triggering to others. Its not so much about Halloween, it happens in November at Thanksgiving 
> 
> Thank you to campvanjie for all of your help, its always a pleasure to pick your brain.   
> Thank you to GoldenBHytes for pre-reading this morning before I posted.

Brooke stared at the flyer her boss just handed her. Dread curled in her stomach. 

_ Staff Thanksgiving Dinner.  _

_ One guest per staff member. _

_ Wednesday, November 27th, 5pm _

Brooke did not wanna go, but she knew if Vanessa found out she would make Brooke go. 

Brooke started working at the bakery as a new manager about two weeks ago.

Her thoughts drifted back to a few days ago. They started her with manning the counters.

_ Brooke put her brightest smile on as a young man walked in the door.  _

_ "Hello and welcome to Cakeworks, what can we do for you?"  _

_ "Hello!" He smiled back, "I need a wedding cake," his smile falters, "um, by next week." _

_ Brooke could feel the stress radiating off of the young man, mirroring how Brooke felt just a few short years ago. _

_ "We can do that," Brooke smiles, "let's go over specifics shall-" _

_ "Brooke, I'll take over here." Brooke's store manager placed a hand on her shoulder and urged her to move out of the way, "sir, we really need the groom  _ and  _ the bride here for orders so we can make sure that there are no surprises." _

_ There was something in the manager's voice, Brooke wasn't sure what it was. _

_ "Actually, my future husband is unable to make it in, but I can assure you there will be no surprises." _

_ Brooke's manager narrowed her eyes, "when did you say you needed the cake?" _

_ "Next week, my baker is sick and she had to cancel."  _

_ "I'm sorry, but we just can't make that happen. It's not a possibility. You'll have to go somewhere else with your order." The manager's tone was serious and the customer knew not to argue. _

_ He turned and left. A few hours later when a couple needed a last minute cake for their daughters birthday, the manager agreed with no issues, and Brooke knew exactly what the explanation was.  _

_ Homophobia.  _

She couldn’t tell Vanessa. If Vanessa found out, she would want Brooke to quit. They have two kids now, there’s no way she could afford to quit. 

So she folded up the flyer and put it in her pocket to throw away later.

Except she forgot to throw it away and a few days later when Brooke sat on the couch while the twins napped, Vanessa came into the room, waving the flyer in her face. 

“B, what is this?”

_ Shit. _

“It’s nothing.” Brooke tried to grab the flyer from her wife’s hands with no success. 

“It looks like an invitation to a party! We goin’ right?”

Brooke shook her head  _ no.  _

“Absolutely not.” She did  _ not  _ want to have this conversation right now.

Vanessa’s bright face fell and she furrowed her brow, “why not? I thought you was lovin’ your new job, babe.”

“I do, I just- I don’t- I think it’s best if we just stay home.”   
“Don’t you want them to meet me? You ashamed of me Brookie?” Vanessa tried to keep her voice light but Brooke knew better. She knew that was one of her wife’s actual fears.

Brooke hesitates because no she does not want them to meet her  _ wife,  _ because she has a wife and not a husband, and she knows how they feel about this type of thing.

But it has nothing to do with Vanessa and everything to do with them.

“Nessa, I- you won’t like them.”

Vanesa gives her a narrowed look, challenging her, because that is simply not true. Vanessa likes everyone and they both know it.

“V, trust me. You don’t want to go.”

“Just tell me why, Brooke.” 

Brooke took a deep breath, “they’re homophobic, Ness.”

Vanessa scrunched her face up, “you’re joking. They can’t be! They hired you didn’t they?”

Brooke looks down, “I didn’t exactly tell them, and I was  _ going  _ to but then the store manager refused to make a cake for two men and I just couldn’t tell them.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I thought you’d make me quit and I do like the job, plus we can’t afford to both not work, Ness, it’s not just us anymore.”

Vanessa understands.

"I still think we should go, Brookie, we can enlighten them a little."

Brooke thinks about it. She doesn't want to make people uncomfortable but she wants people to be educated. 

"Alright, okay I'll tell them we are coming."

Brooke drives them to the party, it's at Michelle, the bakery owner's house. She's greeted by her coworkers with Vanessa in tow. She doesn't really get a chance to introduce her to anyone right away, and Vanessa is kind-of okay with that. She likes to read the room. 

"Hey Brooke," the head baker, Amy, calls to her from the loveseat.

Brooke smiles and sits across from her, Vanessa sitting down too. Brooke doesn’t know her all that well, but she’s nice nonetheless.

"Happy Thanksgiving! So glad you could make it," Amy smiles, "who's your friend?"

_ Friend?  _ Vanessa almost rolls her eyes. 

"Oh, she's-"

"Hey listen," Amy cuts her off, "my husband here, James, has a friend. He’s single, he’s fun, and he likes blondes.” 

Brooke stared at Amy for a minute, surely she was joking. They hardly knew each other.

“Sorry, I- uh- I’m not really interested, Amy.”

“Oh, come on, he’s super sweet, and we could double date! Oh!” Amy gets really excited, clapping her hands, “we can  _ triple  _ date if your friend here is seeing someone too! Wait, you never told us her name.”

"This is Vanessa," Brooke introduces, "my wife."

Amy and her husband, along with anyone within listening distance, gives Brooke a confused look.

"Wife?" Her manager asks and Brooke nods in response, "not husband?"

Brooke shakes her head no, “obviously not, as she is a woman.” 

Vanessa suppresses a snort and waves at everyone. 

The owner Michelle walks into the room. 

“Hey everyone, welcome!” she smiles, “dinner is on the table so everyone may come this way.” 

Everyone sits around the table with Michelle at the head of it. Everyone was kind of avoiding Brooke and Vanessa and discomfort gnawed at Brooke’s inside. Vanessa was stubborn, though, and even though the atmosphere in the room was bone-chillingly cold, she was going to get her and her wife through this. She had a hand planted firmly on Brooke’s thigh, keeping her grounded.

It was almost time for dessert when Brooke heard Amy and one of the other bakers, Lucy, whispering and sending glances her way. 

“Ness, I’m going to go call Nina and check on the kids.”

Vanessa nods and says she will come with. Brooke excuses them and heads to the hallway. 

“Nessa, I want to go home.” Brooke says softly.

“Brookie, I know you uncomfortable, but you can’t let them get to you.”

“They don’t want me here Ness,” Brooke’s voice was small and there was sadness in her eyes, “they don’t want either of us here.”

“I don’t care. Brookie you got every right to be here that they do. You were invited just like them. Their opinion don’t matter, baby. You love me and I love you and what we do ain’t none of their business.” 

Brooke gave a small smile. Her wife was right. She just wanted to be accepted, that’s all. 

“I really do want to call Nina, though.”

Vanessa grinned and dialed Nina’s number. Noah and Chloe were just over a year old and Brooke and Vanessa had never really left them in anyone else's care. 

As soon as they got off the phone they headed back towards the dining room. They stopped in their tracks when they heard voices on the other side of the door. 

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” Michelle’s voice rang through the hall, “Brooke is a part of your team now.”

“Yeah, Michelle, and she’s great, but she’s  _ gay _ !” Amy’s voice was like ice and she whispered the word “gay” as though God would strike her down right now for saying it. 

“And that’s an issue?” 

Silence. Brooke wanted so much to see what was happening.

“I am so disappointed in you guys.” Michelle finally said, and Vanessa slipped her hand into Brooke’s, “you know, I started these bakeries with my brother, Adam, right?”

There were murmurs of yes’s and uh huh’s.

“Well five years ago, my brother met the love of his life, and when he came to me and asked me to arrange the cake, I jumped at the chance.”

Soft  _ aww _ ’s echoed throughout the room. 

“I was so happy for him. My best friend in this whole world was getting married, and I was getting a brother in law.”

Brooke  _ really  _ wanted to be in that room now. She is  _ sure  _ that everyone looks shocked. 

“You guys need to open your minds and start acting like a team. This is not how I want my staff to act.” 

It was quiet for a moment and Brooke and Vanessa decided to join the table. Everyone was looking at their plates as they sat down. After a few moments, Lucy lifted her head and leaned in towards Brooke. 

“So, how did you guys meet?”

Brooke smiled, “it’s a funny story actually.”


End file.
